


The Batman and Catwoman: Crime Comic? or Romance Novel?

by AgentLintaBale



Series: Bruce Wayne & Selina Kyle [1]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, Catwoman (Comics), Christian Bale - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2019-10-17 10:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17558360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentLintaBale/pseuds/AgentLintaBale
Summary: the batman wants the catwoman; catwoman wants the batman to "want" her. But Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle have a linked past. will the batman be able to remain true to his "profession" or will both he and Bruce fall for the conniving yet se-beautiful Catwoman and Selina Kyle?





	1. Cruel Intentions

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda lame, was my first fanfic back in the day. It's going to become a series so I decided to post it here as well.

The Great Detective of Gotham City, The Dark Knight, Batman was doing his casual rounds around the city, now perched across the jewel bank-the one funded by the Wayne family personally-resting after handing over a very wounded gang of The Ventriloquist's men over to the cops.

"Well, they are no more red flags that the police can't handle themselves, now." The voice of Alfred Pennyworth came through the earpiece hidden in the cowl. "You know,  _actually_ do what they are paid for. And more than half of their salary indirectly comes from you, Master Bruce. So basically, you pay  _them_ for the work  _you're_  doing. "

"Just as long as they don't figure out who's wh-" Batman said back to his butler, but his reply was cut short as the tumbling shadow on the opposite roof caught his attention. "Maybe just one more before I call it a night."

The thief gracefully moved across the roof, with what no doubt was a bag full of stolen goods from the building below. The Batman smirked to himself that the thief thought themselves clever, before he glided down to pay a visit to the scrounger.

He gently and silently landed on the new roof and was about to push himself up to tower behind the criminal-

"So,  _you're_  the famous detective!'' The Dark Knight stood there, clenching in both his shock to be discovered, and to see standing before him, a girl in a black jumpsuit with something in the silhouette of cat ears.

"And you are?" Batman growl-whispered at her.

"That's humiliating. For you and me  _both,_ " she chuckles.

"I fail to see how."

"Well, you're the "Great Detective", and you ' _failed'_ to detect that standing before you is the most  _sought_ after cat burglar in the tri-state area."

The Batman was using all his will to suppress the smirk irking to reveal itself as he stood listening to the girl talking to him with a tone, not many gang-men had dared to use, and that she told  _him_ what she truly was.

"The word you're looking for is  _wanted,"_ hestrained to use his deep voice.

The girl continued to surprise him, this time, by clicking her tongue before she spoke "I'd be  _wanted,_  if they had papers against me."

"That's not how it works."

"You're one to talk. You make your own rules. In all honesty, they don't even know what The Catwoman looks like."

"I  _do_ make my own rules, which, in a normal person's world would just be the written laws, actually being upheld, unlike majority of the police population in this city. I can slam you into a cell right now, and I wouldn't need papers"

The Catwoman puurrrrrss. "Oh darlin', you can slamme  _against_  a cell. But, in the definition you're using," the cat burglar steps closer to the detective and tiptoes up to look him in the eyes, "if I looked you in the EYE and told you I stole ANYTHING, you still won't take me. Unfortunately, for you and me both." Puuuurrrrss.

Batman was readying a reply when radio static bursts through his earpiece, sharply diverting his attention to the squad car speeding below on its way to the docks, calling for backup. Behind him, Catwoman blew her lover a kiss before vanishing into the night with her bag full of shiny new kittens. Batman sensed himself alone on the roof,  _so that's what it feels like_ he thought to himself before realizing his communication system went both ways.


	2. Dream

Back at the cave, Batman stepped out of the tumbler, greeted by Alfred. _Oh_ _boy_ , _here_ _we_ _go_. The Dark Knight braced himself for his butler's remarks on his conversation with the cat burglar. He removed his cowl to reveal the prince of the city, shaking his head to set his wavy, clean cut, jet black hair into place.

"Have a riveting evening tonight, did we?" Alfred said with an obvious smirk on his face and in his tone.

"Drop it Alfred." Bruce replied, half annoyed.

"She is an interesting creature, Master Bruce. Has more brains than the average criminal, and skill just shy of your own if I may say so."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to set me up with a _criminal_ ," Bruce snorted.

"At your rate, I'd set you up with a _chimpanzee_. Plus, she seems more *cough* interested in the Dark Knight."

"That is a life for neither of me," Bruce sadly whispered to himself.

 

He replied going up the steps to the activity room, appearing from behind the bookshelf. He went up to his room to shower and kept the night rerunning in his mind.

_The_ _guts_ _in_ _that_ _woman_.

The billionaire stood under the showers in his master bathroom, grateful for such after coming home from an exhausting night of crime fighting.

_I send off grown men running, quivering not of the cold, but of my fear. And then there she is, the audacity to look me in the ey-._ He flinched as pumping hot water hit his wounds, new and old, cutting him from his thoughts. He quickly finished and wrapped a towel on his lower half, running his hands through his hair as he stepped out of the bathroom to get a change of clothes.

 

Behind and the scabs and scars, the boy billionaire had a body worthy of the attention Bruce's apparent character brought him. Broad shoulders with at least three mounds on each bicep, connecting to an equally broad and strong chest. Above his sternum started rows of abs, four on each side, an eight pack, running all the way down his torso, ending in a muscled "v" shape going below his towel. He covered them with a private school boy's navy blue turtle neck, with a pair of black pants, with navy blue socks following after. He towel dried and slicked back his hair and made his way down to the family kitchen to have dinner with Alfred.

 

"You know, I still haven't given up on you. Never have, and never will till I'm in service," the butler said when Bruce entered the kitchen.

"Thank you, Alfred. You know, despite my attitude, you're the only family I have left. I'm grateful you're still here. Are we not having dinner tonight?" he asked, after noticing no preparation being made for dinner.

"Your aunt Leslie called, insisted I send you over to hers for dinner tonight. No formality, so your current outfit should be ok. The staff's not here, so I would suggest you go over to hers."

 "So, the Rolls Royce then?" he asked, half teasingly. Alfred rolled his eyes.

"As long as you bring it back with a-"

"A full tank. Got it." Bruce finished his sentence, chuckling to himself, appreciating the innocence in his butler.

"Alright then, good night, Master Bruce"

"Good night, Alfred. See you in the morning." Bruce bid goodbye to his butler, picking up the keys from their basin by the entrance, not knowing what awaited him tonight at Dr. Leslie Tompkins' penthouse in upper Gotham.


	3. Friends

"Bruce honey! Come in, come in." Leslie Thompkin's cheery voice floated across the lounge as she made her way to the door. "I was just telling Jackie to put out dinner. Where would you like to eat, the dining room, or out on the balcony, it seems like a wonderful night outside?" Dr. Leslie Thompkins took in the prince of Gotham city into her home, as she motioned him to come in and make himself at home.

"It _is_ a very wonderful night Leslie, so balcony it is." Bruce replied after he kissed her cheek hello.

"Of course!" she put a hand on his back shoulder and lead him out. "Jackie dear, set up the table out on the balcony would you?"

Jackie affirmatively replied and head to the kitchen as Bruce folded his fall coat over the black velvet sofa, looking out at the glowing lights in his town as he made himself at home.

"So, how have you been doing? And how was Austria, I heard it gets pretty cold around this time of year?" Bruce started the conversation and leaned over the railing.

"Well, I had to go there for business for the APA, but it was beautiful. Oh, the snow covered mountains, the frozen lakes between the white coated grass. You should plan a trip there with your *chuckles* lady friends!"

Bruce laughed a genuine and throaty laugh. "Well at the moment, I am all _out_ of lady friends, thankfully." Bruce laughs at the Dr's jest at his "reality TV" personality, grateful that she was one of the people who could see through him, though not fully aware of his double life. For her own sake Bruce had justified to keep her out of harms ways.

"Are we having someone join us, Leslie?" he asked as he sat on the small round table, noticing her new housekeeper putting up three places at the round table on the terrace.

"Oh, yes; perhaps I forgot to mention. There's this girl I made friends with at my time at the orphanage. Pretty rambunctious I might say. I'm surprised she was never in juvenile detention. But she's a good girl, and a strong one, for a woman in this damned town. I think you might even remember her from one your visits down there. Um, Selina-"

"Oh I'm sure I can give my own introduction to the prince of Gotham city, Leslie?" a girl's voice, a familiar girl's voice interrupted. "How are you doing tonight, love?"

Bruce stood at the table suppressing a jaw drop, as he witnessed his aunt exchange greetings with the girl who had evaded him just hours ago.

_Selina_ _Kyle_. "Selina Kyle," Bruce thought at the same moment she introduced herself to him.

"Bruce, do you remember her? She's one hard to forget cookie, if I may say."

"Must have slipped my mind, my apologies." Said Bruce, shaking hands with the one Batman had failed to catch.

"I take it that's a first for you!" she teasingly asked.

_Make_ _that_ _twice_! Bruce thinks to himself as he laughs in response to the cat burglar's inquiry.

"Well are we going to stand all night? Sit down, make yourselves comfortable. Jackie dear, please bring the food out," Leslie beckoned for her chef and ushered her young guests to sit.

"So, what is that you do, Miss Kyle?" Bruce asked, sipping Chateau d'Y Quem, 1784, interested in how she would reply in front of Leslie.

"Now that is something I have yet to learn myself." Leslie quipped.

"No reason risking your life over it," Selina teased, avoiding the question.

They all laugh at her aversion to the question, and the night passes just the same. The three talked and laughed between eating the food Leslie's new chef had prepared. Bruce was in full detective mode inside, eyes and ears glued to one of the most elusive criminals sitting across from him. As the doctor sat clueless of her guests' mysteries, the knight inside of him was burning to have a run in with the cat burglar again.

 

_But that would be out of character now, wouldn't it?_

 


	4. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a PAST occurring chapter

_1_ _2_ y _ears ago..._

_The children were all running around at St. Swithin's Orphanage. Bruce Wayne had come today with his aunt Leslie. He sat on the couch by the window in her office, looking out at the children. Some were playing tag; others were playing hide and seek, games he hadn't played since-_

**_Leslie:_ ** _"Bruce, darling why don't you go out and play with the other kids, it might do you good. It'll be more fun than sitting in this dark and boring office with me." His aunt tried to make him go out and play while she overlooked some patient files._

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"No, that's ok, I'm fine. Thank you."_

 **_Leslie:_ ** _"Now come on, look how much fun they're having. At the least you can just go and have a look around. I'll bet you'll find something that'll interest you."_

_The doctor ushered the young billionaire out her office and went back to her work. Bruce looked around and took a stroll around the building, making his way up to the roof, while on the way getting some girls who found him cute, to giggle about him while kindly rejecting the other boys' invitation to play with them. Once at the top, the kid was greeted by a gush of the cold winter wind, unable to keep him inside, regardless of how much he shivered. He went over to the edge, looking down at a dark, stranded alley-_

**_Girl:_ ** _"Careful, you might fall in." Bruce was startled by the new voice that joined him and spun around to see the owner._

 **_Bruce:_ ** _-stuttering-"I didn't know there was someone here."_

 **_Girl:_ ** _"You look new around here. This place can seem bad when you first look at it, but there's no reason to jump off a roof."_

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"I, uh, was just looking, what an ally looks like from above. I wasn't going to jump. I'm here with my aunt, she's the doctor here."_

 **_Girl:_ ** _"Cool. I'm Selina Kyle, people call me Cat."_

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"Nice to meet you Cat. I, uh I should go back down." Bruce excused himself and was at the door when he was stopped by a question that hit him close._

 **_Selina:_ ** _"It must have been hard, you know, watching your parents leave. Most kids here are without parents, but I don't think any of them have been through what you have."_

 ** _Bruce:_** _"Yeah, it sucks."_ Because it was my fault _the boy thought to himself and questioned Cat why she called the kids them and not "us."_

 **_Selina:_ ** _"Oh, I'm not supposed to be here. I'm not an orphan."_

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"Oh."_

 **_Selina:_ ** _"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."_

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"It's ok; it's not your fault."_

 **_Selina:_ ** _"You don't talk much do you? Anyway, look at these..." the girl dressed in a black jumpsuit put down her knapsack and took out things to cheer up her new friend, who wasn't half as excited by her stuff as he was interested in her stories. She kept him entertained; distracted, from what he_   _maybe __was considering doing._

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"So, why are you here, if you're not an orphan?"_

 **_Selina:_ ** _"They like to say that my mom's dead, so they can keep me locked up in here. But she's not dead; she just can't keep me with her, that's all. You wanna know why? Because she's a secret agent! She goes to all these different countries and she saves innocent lives and kicks bad people's butts. So that's why she can't keep me, you know, because it would be dangerous. That's how I have this skill. I was born with it. You mess with me, I'll kick your butt and I'll scratch you to shreds..." she moved across the roof like an agile feline, hissing and pouncing with her claws, keeping her new friend so caught up in her world that he jumped when the door burst open and two angry, heavy middle aged women came through._

 **_Woman 1:_ ** _"There you are you little rascal! You've cause enough trouble for today." She grabbed the young girl by the shoulders and dragged her to the door when Bruce intervened._

 **_Bruce:_ ** _"Stop that! Don't hurt her, she's my friend."_

_Selina smiled at her new friend as the other lady turned angrily towards the boy billionaire. But before she could scold him, Dr. Thompkins came running through the door._

**_Leslie:_ ** _"There you are Bruce! Oh excuse him; he doesn't know the rules around here. Little Mr. Wayne came here to visit me today."_

_They all went down the stairs to the fourth floor, and when they were about to split from the group, Bruce stopped._

**_Bruce:_ ** _"Selina, you left-"_

 **_Selina:_ ** _"You keep it kid. Maybe I'll come and get it back from you some day." With that Selina went away with her two wardens and Bruce left with Leslie to go home._

 **_Leslie:_ ** _"So, how was your day today?"_

_The Dr. asked her young friend and listened gleefully as he excitedly relayed all of his encounter on the roof, adding his own comments and events, and Leslie was happy, that for the first time in a long time, she saw the newly orphaned kid, be a kid._

Thank you for reading and enjoying. Your reviews are encouraged and appreciated. Once again, I do not own any character or places, and credit and rights go to DC and Nolan and all those legal people. Christian Bale is and always will always be my Batman, do tell me who's yours in the reviews.


	5. First Dance

Orchestra music already greeted the  _Wayne 01_  number plated silver Lamborghini Murcielago as the Prince of Gotham city arrived at the ball venue with five beautiful plus-ones.  _If only I had a normal life_. Of course being a playboy was just a routine for Bruce Wayne, but any guy his age,  _especially his age_ , had to have a delusional psyche if he didn't appreciate his position, and that was one of the important characteristics that he didn't want to exhibit, however damaged he may be. As soon as he gave his keys to the red coated valet, his guests blew him a kiss and dispersed into the crowd of other bare backed beauties.

**Friend 1:** "Welcome to the party, Bruce!"

**Friend 2:** "What, you weren't gonna introduce us to your guests?"

"You can run after them if you like." Bruce playfully elbowed his friend in the gut. They all laughed and talked when one of them said,

**Friend 3:** "I'll be sure to keep him [Bruce] from the booze!" they all laughed.  _If you only knew_ thought Bruce as he remembered his miserly excuse to evacuate his house before Ra's al-Ghul, the world's most dangerous man, burned down his home three years ago.

They were all sitting at a round table drinking fancy champagne when he saw someone by the stairs. She was easy to notice as she was the only one wearing a mask, a glittering black eye mask. Bruce excused himself from his friends, getting snarky remarks, but he made his way towards her. She had obviously noticed him coming to her through the thick crowd as she spun around and started up the spiraling stairs. He chased her to the top of one set but she had vanished as soon as she had appeared. He looked around and was greeted instead by a blonde in a bubblegum pink ball gown. She was wearing matching pink stilettos and jewelry, with a pink heart choker around her neck, one he assumed would be worth much more than his suit. She dragged him down the floor just in time for the first song. It was a fast rhythm, and the two danced to the pace, but the boy billionaire was distracted, which was noticed by his young partner.

"You look distracted, Bruce." The girl asked, her voice unimpressed.

"I'm really sorry, but I was expecting someone-." Bruce replied, finally looking at her.

"Why do I get the impression it's me?"

Just as the first song ended, the pair were cut off by Selina Kyle, dressed in a black as night dress, with her eyes hiding behind a sparkly black mask.

                                                                                  o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Selina Kyle stood in one of the balconies in the main hall, observing the people dancing below. No, she was glued to their jeweled necks and wrists, their millions of dollars worth of all sorts of rings and watches and broaches. She walked her way to the top stairs, wanting go down to the main room exploding with color as the girls swung and spun, dancing with their men, significant or otherwise.  _The rich life, full of lies and fake smiles,_ she thought laughing to herself.

She spotted a familiar face too as she reached the first floor. He was sitting with a circle of other twenty-something year old billionaires. They were all laughing, probably about something stupid. She noticed him slow down his laughter as Bruce Wayne's eyes locked directly with hers. She was swiping an emerald stoned ring from a blonde in a matching slim fit sheath dress when she noticed him coming her way.

Selina swiftly tucked the ring in her own dress pocket and walked back up the stairs, sensing him right behind her. When she reached the top she quickly ran into the closest room and closed the door, keeping it slightly ajar to see what happened. Bruce reached the top ten seconds after her yet seemed completely lost. He wasn't alone for long as he was soon joined by a blonde in a pink ball gown. With a matching pink jeweled choker around her neck. After some resistance from him, she dragged him down for a dance, and Selina made her way out of the room, laughing to herself.

                                                               o0oo0o0o0o0o0o

"You look distracted, Bruce." the girl asked him

"I'm really sorry, but I was expecting someone-."

"Why do I get the impression it's me?" Selina cut in between the two just as the song ended, and the blonde left disheartened, in more ways than one.

"Well aren't you glad I rescued you from your misery, darrling." She said to him, rolling her "r's" just as Bruce rolled her into the second dance.

"I most certainly am. Sweet heart." He cocked his eyebrow and tilted his head down, and she knew that it was more than just a reply to her sweet name. He had noticed. He had noticed her stealing the pink heart off his last dance partner's neck. This put her on edge, and her ears shot up.  _At least they would have, if she had been a cat._

"Why, did you want to add it to your personal collection?" she replied, referring to his financials.

"What, the necklace? Oh no, nothing of the sort. See,  _my_  expertise is in sports cars and yachts, not jewels. I'm sure all my knowledge of them would pale in comparison to that of a jewel thief."

His awareness of her identity really caught her off guard, enough that her dance partner noticed her misstep in their slow waltz.

"Well, I'll be damned!" she spoke as he spun her.

"I'm surprised that you're... surprised. I mean, you told me so on that roof, when, I was 'about to jump', what 12, 13 years ago?"

"So, you  _do_ remember us." she said, crinkling her lips, impressed.

"Mmhmm."

"Not bad, kid." She teased him with that old nickname she had once given him. "I'm staggered though, how a kid like him could turn into a man like-"

Her remark was cut off when she saw a member of the 13th precinct dressed in a tuxedo eyeing her curiously and was starting to make his way to her. Her partner followed her gaze and grew concerned.

"Selina-" he grabbed her wrist assuringly tight, trying to keep her to stay.

"Another time, kid." She said as she grabbed his collar and kissed him hard on the mouth.

_But before he could open his eyes, she was gone._


	6. Subliminal Messages

  


 

 

 

"So, that happened tonight, Isis." Selina Kyle returned to her apartment in one of the abandoned buildings in the narrows.

"I kissed Bruce Wayne," she told her cat as she picked up a blue stoned ring from the pool of jewels on her bed.

"Meow"

"That's right, kitty. Be jealous. He could have been better though. 'The most desirable bachelor in Gotham city.' I mean, given the guy's TV persona, he should be experienced in *cough* more than just kissing. Rrrrr! Imagine being in bed with  _him!_ But sadly, I'm promised to another." As she referenced her cowled lover, she saw the reflection of the bat signal on the jewel she was spinning in her hand, and smiled.

"Wish momma luck tonight, kitten."

_______________________________

_She kissed me._ Bruce Wayne sat in his reclined rocking chair, going over the events of the night. He had come to the party on his Murciélago with five pretty girls, pretty sure he had broken the law by having two of them in the front. He had laughed with his friends and spotted a masked belle at the ball. More like a masked thief at a ball for the rich and wealthy. And she had kissed him. He had been unable to stop her from stealing the priceless jewels threaded into necklaces and rings. And he had been unable to go home on his Lamborghini. After the valet told him that his  _wife_ had taken the car, he scoffed and called Alfred for a ride home, and teased his butler how Selina Kyle had made herself Mrs. Bruce Wayne with Alfred just suggesting it.

Right now he sat rocking on the chair, laughing to himself as he fiddled with the arrowhead in his hand. The one by whose story young Bruce had been mesmerized by on that roof 20 years ago. It was the first thing she had ever stolen. Reflecting on it now, he caught the lies in her story, obviously it would have been something impossible for an 10 year old to accomplish. He hated himself for forgetting a memory from his childhood. And it had been a good one too. He kept flipping the arrowhead in his hand, thinking how things could have been different, maybe even  _better._ And then he stood to attention when he saw the bat signal in the sky calling him to the 13th precinct.  
  
  


On the roof of the 13th precinct...

"Word on the street is that Milo's coming up with new drugs." The Captain greeted Batman with new intel on the drug doctor Professor Milo. After turning off the Bat-signal, Gordon turned to face Gotham City's famous detective.

"One of the worst known symptoms of this is something like a high fever, and then it goes on to affect the mind. Makes it..."

"Makes you hysterical and do things out of character. Stenile Hypotheria." Batman cut him off, being knowledgable on the subject.

"Right." Gordon said, slightly annoyed at being cut off. "He's getting a big commission from Daggett Pharmaceuticals."

_That's interesting_  thought the CEO of Wayne Enterprises behind the bat-cowl.  _Now THAT would be something to talk about at the board meeting tomorrow morning._

"I'll assume you also know what ingredients they will be in the need of for this concoction?"

The Batman gave a positive reply.

"They'll need Scamine Gerbinites to get the full effect..."

"Most abundant in The Gotham City Museum." this time, Gordon finished the sentence.

"Correct. I'll have a look into it." And with that, the Batman jumped off the precinct roof, gliding down in the dark skies above his beloved, godforsaken city.

* * *

"What do you think, Isis? Should we let those big bad bullies harm our pretty stones?" Catwoman was perched on the roof across the Gotham City Museum, having heard what Milo had in plan for them.

"I may be a criminal, but I'm only a thief. Nobody uses my kittens for the wrong purpose."

As her cat meowed in reply, she laughed out loud to herself..

"That's right, Isis. They're coming into mama's territory."

"Unfortunately, I'd say  _you're_ stepping into someone else's." A dark voice spoke from the shadows.

Catwoman tried hard not to let out a squeal and reminded herself that she wasn't 16 anymore.

"Well this Queen's not too worried." She stepped closer and tiptoe-d her fingers across her lover's bat laden chest, trying to wrap herself around him.

"It seems to me I have....my very own knight to battle for me," she said as she tilted her head up to kiss Batman.

"I'm not doing anything for you," he said stepping away from the cat burglar, rebuffing her kiss. She pouted in reply and walked over to join him at the edge, looking across at the museum.

"You shouldn't get involved. You don't know these people."

Prrrr "So you do care about me."

"These people are dangerous. Roland Daggett may be a businessman, but he's shady. He doesn't use his money and power the right way, he uses them to gain power in the underworld, and this gets him many big headed thugs to work for him. A girl like you,  _no matter how strong,_ shouldn't come between the crossfires."

She angled her face up to him and smiled, noticing his subliminal concern for her. She was about to reply when she was halted by Isis's blood curling screech, diverting both the crusaders' attention to the break in happening at the museum across.

"I guess that's your cue," she said just as her "partner" glided down to mingle with the other thieves. She tossed Isis gently on the ground and made her way home.

_But not before picking up a few goodies._

* * *

 

Batman hated that he found himself surprised learning of Daggett's involvement with Milo. He was caught even more off guard running into Catwoman on the opposite roof just twenty minutes ago not even. Apparently roofs had become their thing. They had been for Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle 16 years ago. He would have liked to know what she was about to do next; obviously she wasn't one to let things go, but they had been interrupted by  _these_ goons.

Currently, he was carefully and quietly making his way around the museum, a task made hard by all the shattered glass on the floor. His heat vision was on as the thieves had put out the electricity, and the only people other than him were them. The guards would have been, if they hadn't been easily knocked out.  _I've got to put in better security._  Of course it was his job, indirectly, as his family and foundation provided major backing for the museum, and other major facilities in Gotham City.

The Dark Knight's thoughts were broken as they open fired on him, which of course had minimal effect on him thanks to his Kevlar.  _Idiots_! He easily plowed through their first line of defense, but was next confronted by a big one, different than the others. Batman immediately recognized him as one of Daggett's specials. His opponent's first attack left him with a cut on his jaw close to his mouth. Damn! Now he'd have to come up with an excuse as Daggett would definitely hear of this, and he had a board meeting with Bruce Wayne the next morning. Batman soon learned his adversary had good combat skills, but none in Gotham had talent compared his own; at least he hoped, for the last time there was any, he had come with a full force, which included Ra's Al-Ghul himself.

It took time and effort, but he ended up victorious over the entire gang. The pawns were broken down and would be in place when the GCPD came for them, but the big guys, including Daggett's elite, had escaped, but luckily without the needed stones. He took some of the Scamarine Gerbinite for Fox to experiment with, and left the rest for Gordon to pick up along with the thieves. Looking around, he noticed some other glass cases were empty, but it hadn't been any of these guys. Some had been natural stones, others pearled into articles of jewelry, he could tell by the empty indentations in the encasing cushions and velvets.

_And finding Isis standing by the front door, he knew exactly who had taken them_

*******  the cat's name is taken from Batman: The Animated Series. The story line credit goes to the episode Cat Scratch Fever."

****These stone names and diseases I have only made up, without any knowledge of how to make any drugs b/c that is something that I do not do and are only here for the purpose of the story.

 

 

 


	7. Matchmaker

  


 

 

 

"I  _do_  believe we can build a medical wing somewhere, Master Bruce," Alfred said sarcastically as he applied the clear gel on Bruce's open cut wound. He had taken a cut to the jaw from Daggett's man last night, and this morning he had a meeting with Daggett himself.

"I'll regret asking, but what excuse are you to provide Mr. Daggett? Surely he must have heard of your-The Batman's predicament last night." The butler asked as he stepped back and picked up the medical supplies. Bruce stood up and swung on his suit jacket as he looked into the mirror and replied.

"I think 'Bruce Wayne's' reputation should suffice. I mean the entire world must think that almost every beautiful woman has the right to leave me with a scar on my face." Bruce said as he smirked at his guardian through the mirror.

*"I do hope to see a day when Bruce Wayne isn't the "other guy" to you. People, even you, may say that you have only one mask, but I know there are many more, and those that even you can not see hurt you more than that cowl ever did," Alfred said with a pain in his voice.* (I love this line)

"Alfred," Bruce said in a reassuring way but was interrupted by the knock on the door. The billionaire fixed himself and opened the door to the housekeeper, who informed him that Leslie was here. He thanked the old lady and joked for Alfred to set up another place at breakfast.

"My, my! Bruce Wayne up before the sun."

"Lee! Good to see you. How've you been?" Bruce hugged his "aunt" good morning and walked her into the sitting area.

"I hope you don't mind me here without calling ahead, but my place was under renovation and we had no place to stay."

"Oh you're never a burden Lee, and always welcome," he stopped as he ran his hand over his jaw before continuing, "We?"

"Oh yeah, Selina was staying with me for a few days. Dear girl, has been under the weather since last night."

_That's not how she was with me last night._ He looked over the mahogany sofa to see the thief curled up in the nook.

"The more the merrier." Bruce said to Leslie as she left to see Alfred in the kitchen.

"I certainly do hope it wasn't because of me," he whispered as he sat down next to Selina.

She finally looked up at him and flashed him a dry smile.

"Hey, it was I who kissed you," she reminded him. "It was a bit  _under_ expectation though if I may add."

"Well we can always have a round two,  _intentionally_ this time." Bruce said, already leaning in, but was pushed away.

"What's going on?" he asked  **sinceriously.**

"After the ball I went home, then I left again, and Isis, my cat, left with me," she paused as she stood up and reflected on the night before. "but she didn't come home."

"She's a cat. Maybe she just wanted to stay out last night."

"Yeah, but this is not like her."

"Ok, then where did you see her last?" Bruce asked, remembering when HE had seen the grey feline. Which, unfortunately, was by the way the robbers had left.

"What's worse, is that I wasn't with exactly with the best of people." Selina replied, pacing back and forth.

"I wish you the best of luck finding her." They both looked up to see Lucius Fox coming up to them.

"Lucius Fox," the acting CEO of Wayne Ent. Introduced himself to the cat burglar.

"Selina Kyle."

"Pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance," Mr. Fox said, tipping his head to his boss, who stood up to greet him as well.

"I'd love to hear the story behind  _THAT_ ," she said laughing.

"I'm afraid it's going to have to be another time. Mr. Wayne here has an important meeting with Mr. Daggett at work today."

His guest's sudden expression told Bruce that she definitely recognized the name.

"YOU are doing busi-" her concerned voice was cut short when Lee and Alfred appeared into the room.

"You're taking him from us? Lucius, he hasn't even had his breakfast yet."

"I'm afraid it's going to have to be brunch after all, Lee," Bruce said, kissing her forehead as he grabbed his coffee.

"I'll take everybody out somewhere nice, my treat!" he said, raising his cup to his first time guest. Bruce walked over to the sofa to pick up his overcoat, and hugged her good bye.

"You'll find her soon," he whispered in her ear as he kissed her temple.

After collectively saying good bye to all, he left with Mr. Fox, onward to work- to his confrontation with Roland Daggett.

 

 


	8. Enemy of my Enemy

"I see our assets are pretty vulnerable in this town. We back majority of the facilities, banks, museums et al. and many are open targets for the criminals in this town. Take the break in at the museum last night for example," as Bruce Wayne mentioned the recent attack, Daggett's head snapped to attention, clearly surprised of the CEO's knowledge of it.

The meeting ran long, discussing ways to amp up security using new inventions from applied sciences and the assistance of outside companies, who of course provided aide in exchange for something beneficial for themselves. Bruce was getting tired and hungry, but luckily the meeting didn't go past 12:30, as he had promised brunch to his guests, new and old.

As soon as it ended, Roland Daggett made his way to Bruce, his "associate" following close behind.

"That's a neat blow you got there, Mr. Wayne. I can hardly imagine how you could possibly have landed one," Daggett said sarcastically referencing the slightly visible wound on Bruce's face.

Wayne made no hesitation in replying and plastered a smirk on his face,

"It shouldn't be that hard," Bruce said cheekily. "Not all girls play nice, now do they?"

Behind him, Lucius Fox couldn't help but laugh as he joined the three.

"I'll keep in mind to ask mine to have their nails short." Daggett said.

"You'll have to excuse us, but Mr. Wayne has promised his aunt to brunch, and it seems to me it's getting late." Lucius asked leave for the both of them and they turned to leave, but Bruce stopped and turned back.

"By the way, congratulations on your new cat. I thought you as more of a big dog type of guy." The CEO picked off a grey hair from the old man's coat collar, then left the two behind with their stunned expressions as Fox gave him a questioning look.

After a long ride of silence in the elevator, Fox finally snapped.

"There isn't any other cat for today, is there?" he asked his boss, referencing to the one cat talked about in the morning at home.

The elevator stopped on the floor below and a new intern joined them on the way down.

"The one and only. He had short grey hairs on the collar of his jet black jacket. Isis has the coat, as do older women, but I'm sure Mr. Daggett isn't into THAT old aged women," Bruce said, winking at the young brunet across from him, who blushed and hid behind the stack of folders in her hands. Lucius only rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the elevator, being later joined by his boss, who left after he had kissed the girl on his cheek and given her a couple thousand dollars to spend on her now day off.

"What?" Bruce shrugged his shoulders as he took the keys of his Bentley from the valet.

"It was my  _moral_ obligation!" he laughed as he sat behind the steering wheel.

Mr. Fox sat silently in the passenger's seat and looked at his young boss, impressed by the usually dark billionaire's jovial mood. Clearly mornings had a good impact on him, along with other things. He wondered what-or  _who_ \- had brought about the happy change.

"So, where do we go for brunch?"

The black Bentley sped out of the lot of Wayne headquarters as Roland Daggett stood at the entrance, looking on with a mean look on his face.

_But hopefully today would be a good day._

The limousine stopped under the Porte Cochere of the 4.5 star Café Panache in upper Gotham city. The owner himself ecstatically greeted and escorted Bruce Wayne's party to their especially reserved breakfast gazebo. Its pillars were made of concrete with intricate carvings, each opening covered with thin off white drapes that let in just enough sunlight and the autumn breeze. The chef welcomed them with his best collection of white wine and offered them his top of the line dishes for brunch.

Leslie ordered her "usual" Blini and caviar with oranges on the side, Alfred some lemon ricotta poppy seed pancakes, and Lucius Florentine waffles. Selina, still in a sulky mood and her first time, let Bruce pick for her, who thoughtfully ordered her light strawberry and cream crepes. The brunch went full of laughter and light business discussions, and Lee and Lucius left soon after. Alfred made his way to the kitchen and cellar, leaving Selina and Bruce alone to walk in the garden.

"How did the meeting with Daggett go?"

"With Daggett? Selina it was a board meeting. You certainly have a developing interest in Daggett. Dare I ask why?"

"What's hiding from you? The bad company I mentioned from last night, they were from Daggett's  _other_ business. That's where I saw Isis last."

"Roland Daggett took in your cat?  _A_ cat? I took him for a dog person. BIG dog," Bruce said, motioning with his hands the size of the dog.

Selina stopped mid walk, facing Bruce as he stopped with. Her brows knotted for a second, but she quickly eased them and flashed him a gentle smile.

"Thank you for the brunch, Bruce,"she said as she hugged him.

Bruce clenched his fist after hugging her goodbye, not allowing himself to break character further.

"Take the Limo, Alfred will take me home."

"Thanks." She said over her shoulder. Turning her head around, she had a determined and angry look on her face as her hands skimmed over the silky grey hair she had pulled off of Bruce's coat.

_Tonight Catwoman knew which road to take, but the Batman would never be ready for the way their paths would cross._


	9. Plans

Selina had taken the limo home and Alfred dropped Bruce back at the office when Lucius had called. Bruce Wayne was, evidently, the CEO of the biggest company in the city, thus his days were busily scheduled with meetings and calls and paperwork to be done.

His desk was scattered with papers and folders and the hold lights were flashing on every other phone when he got to the office. His secretary Jessica was pacing after him, telling him what was urgent and which people were waiting on what phones.

He was scrambling through the stack of papers and files when the latest one caught his attention. Apparently in the while he was out having brunch, the company had lost a centrifuge. It wouldn't have been a problem, if it weren't the industrial sized one and required special authority to be accessed. His detective senses immediately kicked in as he tried to connect the dots. And he was stuck with it in his office till late in the evening, when Jessica walked in with a message. 

"Mr. Wayne, there's a John Blake here to see you."

"Thank you, Jess. Send him in. And Jessica, I don't think I'll be taking any more calls tonight."

"Of course, Mr. Wayne." She left the room with the door open behind her.

"He'll see you now." She addressed the visitor and lead him in, this time, closing the door after she left.

"Should we use code words? I feel I could use a code word." John Blake said as he walked around the room.

"You can think of some and then let me know."

"Sure!" John said sarcastically, "I'll get right on it, riight after I get off this Mr. Miyagi kung fu training."

"Fighting is more through the mind than the body."

"You should tell that to the Batman."

Bruce glared at John over his computer screen, slightly irritated.

"You came here for something, John? Seriously, I am busy you know."

"Right. Okay, so, our C.I. got to know that there's a deal between Milo's men and some other people interested in his new products."

"I thought the Batman managed to keep them from getting the stones?"

"He did. But they worked a way around it. Hear they're involving animals as the guns to their bullets."

"Interesting," Bruce said, ironically in a drag voice as he signed papers.

"And..." Blake wheezed as he scratched the back of his head.

"And?" Bruce asked, cocking an eyebrow over the folder in his hands, pressing for John to continue.

"How many criminals do you know who are the presidents of the local PETA?"

Bruce sighed and reclined in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Catwoman."

"Yeah. There were many reports of her activity tonight, most of them tagging with the sighting of Milo's men and that general direction."

"They stole her cat." Bruce told John as he stood up and filed the papers away.

"And you would know that why?" John teased as he stood up as well, ready to go.

Bruce only replied with a sarcastic nod of his head.

"You knoow, there are hushed rumors out there saying that the Batman-"

"How would you like to paint a fence around Wayne Manor?" Bruce cut him off, putting on his coat.

"I got nothing." John pleaded as he threw up his hands.

"Exactly."

"So where do we go?"

"First, we get a change of outfits, then we go pay a visit to Mr. Daggett."

* * *

 

Selina paced back and forth in her room, angered and frustrated. Her floor rugs were on her bed and chairs, and her table lamps and pillows were on the floor. Her friend opened the door a second after she threw a vase, and the new girl had to quickly duck to avoid getting hit. Jen tiptoed across the floor, avoiding the sharp debris and picking up the pillows and other things still in one piece.

"They took Isis*! They took her! First, they try to steal my jewels, then they steal my cat! Hey! I'm the best thief in this town okay! They took my cat!" Selina huffed as she spun, her fingers tangled in her hair.

"I'm sorry I don't have better news for you, but there's been reported kidnappings of strays and pets all over the city. I think the animals are involved in some ways."

"We have to get her back! We have to get them back!"

"Well, unlike your friend Bruce Wayne," Jen scowled saying his name, as if she were being held at gun point to say it, "who up and went and had a business meeting with Daggett, I'm going to actually help you do something about this. I'm going to help you get Isis back."

Selina, in her anger and worry, was oblivious to her present friend's attitude about the absent, so she thanked her for her support.

"Thanks, Jen. But, I don't want you caught up with these people. I'm gonna go out tonight by myself and get to the bottom of things."

"Why wait? Hey! Nobody's ever seen the Batman in broad daylight."

"Jen?"

"Selina, at the end of the day, you're just another criminal. And he thwarts their plans and arrests them, and I'm sure that's what he's going to do with you. It's not like The Batman had returned your affections."

Selina pulled out her bottom lip and tilted her head in agreeing thought.

"So, you should go now, at least get a head start before the Batman comes and intervenes."

"Okay, I'm in. But where do we start?"

"Well, start at the pound, or follow their dispatched trucks. If Milo needs puppies for his mills, he's sure to have people working in places he can easily access the animals."

"Jen, you, are a genius!"

"I know! I've been called that before."

"A genius?"

"No, Jen!"

Both of them laughed for a minute before separating. Selina went to the balcony window, staring outside as plans formed in her mind. The sky was grey outside, just exactly how she was feeling inside. The morning's breeze had turned into a wind shower, the little planted trees bent in its direction while the trash flew down the streets below like tumble weed. Jen had gone to the closet to get Selina her night outfit, and her trusty accessory.

She brought it over to Selina and she ran a hand over the leather cloth, her pointy nail railing down the hidden zipper in the middle. She peeled off her clothes and stepped in to the leather outfit, it cuffed down to her wrists and her ankles, and her boots came up to just below her shins. The boots had soles with ridges, that helped with solid landings, especially if you were off the roof ledge by a hair, which didn't happen a lot to Selina. The long heels, yes, very, long heels had blades on them, which she could kick in to any opponent however high she chose to kick, and her range, was very high. The blades could also come off if she needed to hold them and throw them. You'd think that a girl in a leather jumpsuit couldn't do much, but by the time you'd reel in from the concussion, she'd have proved you wrong.

The black mask, was something borrowed. Fine, stolen, yeesh! When Selina was little, she once snuck into a ball, where she enjoyed the food, the gossip, the sight of the pretty twirling dresses, and the pretty, stolen things she had in her pocket. She was eating cheese on crackers when a lady spotted her. She didn't ask how Selina had gotten in, or called her out on being a thief. The lady had, though, noticed how out of place the little girl looked, even in her short black dress. So, she'd given Selina her black eye mask. It was soft, kind of velvety, and had an intricate design pressed into it. The mask had been big on Selina, but the lady had made it work. The lady had made Selina's day work. It had been the first day, and the only proper day, she felt like being a girl, and enjoying girl things. It was while Selina was dancing with the mask on that the lady got a call that her _son_ was sick and she and her husband had left in haste, not even bothering to come back for the mask. And Selina kept the mask, slightly guilty that it was maybe theft, but she moved on from it.

Selina sighed in the mirror as she put on the black eye mask, which sat perfectly on her nose and surrounded her eyes. She set her hair behind her, patting her head down before she put on her goggles, which stuck out like pointy ears, completing her cat themed outfit. Selina strapped on her whip and opened the balcony doors in favor of the wind, which blew the salon doors bursting inward. Selina jumped onto the railing, and looking back at her friend one last time, swung out into the wind.

* * *

 

I'm sorry, I know ISIS is a terrorist group, but it is also an Egyptian name for girls, and also the name of Selina's cat in Batman: The Animated Series.


	10. Keeping Up

 

 

The elevator doors shut noiselessly, but the penthouse still echoed with the sound of the lamp and decorations shattering on the floor. Roland Daggett let his tornado of anger leave its mark behind him as he crossed the room to the bar. The glass was easy to reach but the effort it took to open the bottle riled him up even more so that the cup went flying towards the stairs and the alcohol was drunk from the source. 

 

With his face turned to the bar, he felt the breeze come in from the just opened terrace doors, and he expected that to be his assistant, Stryver.

"How far has Milos gotten? There was supposed to be a run tonight!!"

He chugged his drink and didn't wait for a reply.

"Call  _him_ , and tell him I am  _NOT_  waiting longer."

"Such impatience for such a little man."

Daggett spun around towards the voice that wasn't Stryver's.

"Y-you!" He waved the bottle accusingly at the young detective casually sitting on the arm rest of his sofa seat.

"You're breaking and entering!"

"You've done worse."

"I haven't done anything!"

"But you've sent your men to do your dirty work."

"You can't prove any of it."

"Just like you can't prove my being here." Blake got up and walked towards Daggett.

The CEO staggered back and scoffed a laugh.

"I-I have cameras." the liquid swished out of the bottle as he swung his bottle-holding hand towards the cameras.

"They won't run till I let them," a new, darker voice joined the duo.  
"You stole the Gerbinites from the museum."

"Last I checked,  _you_ kept them from being stolen."

"But I bet if I look, I'll find a stolen Wayne Enterprise centrifuge in your possession." Blake pretended to read from a flip pad.

"You go after a drug stone, steal a centrifuge, your company's a pharmaceutical. It won't be hard to pin this one on you. What are you planning?"

" _You_  haven't figured it out?" Daggett mocked surprise and wagged a finger at the vigilante. "I'll tell you! I'm not making the drug, I'm making the antidote! I'm the hero! You pin  _me,_  you'll be the fo-"

Batman was in his face within a second, holding Daggett by his collar.

"Where's the machine?!" He roared.

"Go ahead, search my warehouses. You won't find  _nothin'!"_  Daggett laughed, fully aware that the machine wasn't in any of his places.

"I'll get some uniforms, we'll check his places out. Can't hide an industrial centrifuge just anywhere."

John walked back to the elevator, and Daggett watched him leave, but the second he turned around, the Batman was gone.

Outside the building, John leaned on his bike, his arms crossed over his chest as his foot tapped impatiently. Five minutes after he had come out, Daggett stumbled out of the building, Stryver right behind him. The assistant opened the passenger door for his boss, then ran over to the driver seat. Not a second after Stryver raced the car out onto the streets, the blue and black motorbike raced after it as the Batman followed his target from above.

* * *

Catwoman squatted behind the brick ledge of the abandoned apartment complex. She stayed hidden in the shadows as she watched some upper class thugs strutting around the bar with either a gun or drink in hand. Usually she'd say something to Isis*, but her pet was the reason she was here. Whatever their plan was with the drugs, Isis was going to be one of their involuntary guinea pigs. Selina was angry and worried, and she knew she shouldn't be here in such an emotional state, but that grey cat was her only family. She crept closer to the edge, like a cat stalking prey. Her gaze was stuck on Milo, the drug lord, who was carelessly trying to convince a shaken up Roland Daggett. They became interrupted by men wearing lab coats, who kept walking in and out of the room. She moved on the roof, following the "scientists" with her eyes, down to the lowest floor of the building.

Selina made a quick and rash plan and leapt across to the other roof, but only her toes landed on the a/c while her heels pulled her back. She recognized her mistake the second before her feet slipped off the vent system, and off the roof, and she prepared herself for a pancake landing. It didn't happen. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to their body, and Catwoman opened her eyes to the pointy winged bat emblem blared across his chest. The Batman. With one arm he held on to her, stronger than rollercoaster railings, and with the other he held the grapple gun which pulled them back to the same roof across, luckily unnoticed.

Once back, he placed her on her feet and she had to steady herself from the gliding. Batman was only an arm crossing away from being really mad at her, but Selina only took a second to sigh in relief before she went back to being her coy self.

"Well darrlin', we have to stop meeting like this!" She swayed her body as she stepped closer.

"If I thought that, you'd be lying down there dead."

"But that's not something you're willing to allow," she sing-sang as her fingers danced across his kevlar chest.

"Why are you here, Selina?" Batman asked, refusing to fall prey to Gotham's siren. "For a cat?"

The last bit struck her close, and she walked back.

" _Isis,_  is not just a cat. She's family, my  _only_ family. You seem like one who would understand, fighting for the only few people left in your life?"

"You  _have_  family. Dr. Tompkins? Jennifer? Jim Gordon?" he visibly paused. "Even the Waynes."

Selina turned back to look at him and scoffed a laugh.

"Wayne? You mean Bruce. Why'd you say his name like that?" she snorted. "Jealous?"

"That would imply I have feelings for-"

"But you  _do_ , don't you?" She caressed his exposed jaw.

"You shouldn't be here, Selina. Not around these people," he said as he walked away, avoiding her question and care.

"You  _do_  care about me." she whispered to herself, but loud enough that he heard, and he sighed.

"Enough to not want to see you get hurt."

Selina smirked and leaned back over the edge.

"Let's test that theory," she teased with mischief radiating in her eyes.

It took him half a second to realize what she meant to do.

"Selina! What are you-" she jumped off before he could finish and he leapt off after her. He was just about to grab her when she pulled out her whip and wrapped it around a flag pole, swinging around it to land on her feet. He put out his own grapple gun just barely before it would have been too late and tumbled into a landing a few feet from her.

"Try to keep up!" She smiled at him and stealthily made her way in to the building.


	11. Wayne's Anatomy

 

 

_"There's no reason to jump off a roof."_

_"I wasn't going to jump."_

_She kept him entertained; distracted, from what he maybe_ _ was _ _considering doing._

_"Selina."_

The Dark Knight followed Catwoman into the building through a back door. In her haste, she almost walked into a guarded hallway, but Batman pulled her behind a wall just in time. He threw a stun grenade into the hall and took out the guards before they could grab their guns. Catwoman kicked a man's head in as a finishing touch.

The pair snuck and fought their way to the lobby, where there were two staircases. One winded up, the other went to the basement. To the experiment lab.

Selina took the initiative, telling the Batman of her findings.

"Upstairs' the big boys. The labs are down stairs. You want the monsters, I want the animals. We split here?" She said with her hands on her hips, impatiently pacing as if waiting for him to shout  _go._

"I don't have an antidote yet," The detective warned.

"I'll be careful not to get scratched," she smirked at him.

He nodded and finally made his way to the stairs going up, shooting his grappling gun to the top, but she stopped him.

"Hey! Try not to get shredded!" she was impatient still, but had worry in her eyes,

"I can take care of myself," he reminded her, showing a hint of smirk.

She walked away, but as he tugged on the rope, she stopped him again.

"Hey!" she called out to him. He rolled his eyes before facing her. As soon as he did, her hand went around his neck and she pulled him in for a kiss on the lips, and he hooked an arm around her waist. She was the first to pull back.

"Good luck kiss."

He nodded and finally flipped the switch on the gun, grappling up the floors as Catwoman whipped herself down a couple flights of stairs.  
  
  


 

Selina walked fast paced in the basement, looking for the main lab. At the same time, her mind itched, bothering her. It was as if she'd kissed the Batman before, but she'd never gotten the opportunity before today. So why the deja vu? She got distracted from the thought when she found the lab. The heavy metal door had a window on it, and she caught a glimpse of cages with sleeping animals and carts full of chemical vials. Catwoman flicked her fingers out, which protracted the claw like nails from the tips of her glove fingers, and she used them to pick the lock. She held on to the turned knob till it returned to its position, and lifted the door slightly as she pushed it open, not making a noise. The basement was freezing cold in Gotham's fall weather, despite the heat coming through the vent.

She was taken aback as she walked into the room lined with cages on either side. The animals inside were rolling or scratching out as if they were drunk or in pain. She stopped next to a cart and examined the chemicals in the bottles. When she picked one up and swirled it, the liquid inside began to smoke and she quickly put it back down.

"Poor babies, what have they done to you?" she whispered aloud behind a fog of breath, and a meow responded to her, one she recognized.

Catwoman rushed to the cage holding her kitten. She sweet talked her through the wires then nailed her way through the lock. Isis was groggy as Selina pulled her out, but soon as she squeezed the cat in a hug, Isis screeched and bit Selina on the shoulder. Catwoman dropped her pet in pain and bent over as Isis ran out the open door. 

 

 

Batman landed on the floor below the heavily guarded penthouse, seeing the place above through his sonar lenses. He counted the men and noted the artillery, and worked his way to the room directly below the boss's room. A couple thugs walking around, a few sitting at the bar with a huge dog chained to it. The detective turned on the listening gadget Fox had fixed in the cowl's decorative ears.

"The speed at which the toxin overtakes the animal's systems is something to behold, Mr. Daggett." said the voice with the light blue aura, walking towards the dog with a syringe. "Even with a species this large, the change is almost instant." The rabid growls that followed proved the point.

Roland Daggett, his pulsating red aura calmed a bit, walked closer as the dog's adrenaline shot through the sky.

"Careful sir," Milo pulled Daggett back to a safe distance, "one little scratch and the toxin will go through you with the same virulence."

"Good work, Milo. Speed is of the essence. Can't let the Batman get here  _too_  soon." The millionaire said as his figure moved to the door, and the detective below saw the trace of another man racing towards the door.

Just before Daggett's hand touched the knob, the door burst open as someone came running in, exhausted, angry, and scared.

"Boss! Catwoman's broke 'to the lab!" The newcomer announced and the other criminals for hire ran down without orders.

Batman scowled in frustration when the man took the name of his recent partner, and quickly put a plan in action. As the thugs ran down the stairs, he tossed a grenade into the hallway and pressed the button at the bottom of his boot, attracting wild bats to the already chaotic scene.

"It's the Batman!" Milo shouted as a stray bat bird flew in.

While the gunfire and shouting coming from outside the room, the men inside were distracted waiting for the vigilante at the door when he came crashing up through the floor. It took the crew a couple seconds to redirect, but the Batman was ready for them. He ducked from the bullets as he broke their backs, and used a couple of them as human shields when the infected dog was set loose on him.

He saw Daggett try to make an escape from the chaos and went after, but before he could get to him, the detective was intercepted by the drug lord, who sprayed a chemical at him. The Batman was able to get a few blows in, but not before the effects of the drug set in, and he was apprehended with less difficulty.

As his vision corrected, he opened his eyes to Milo standing in front of him with a smile of his face.

"Well looky what the cat dragged in, I suppose."

"What did you do to me?!" He growled deeper than he intended.

In the pause Milo took to answer, Lucius Fox's voice came through his earpiece, telling he was already working on it.

"Relax!" the chemist said in a cool tone that wasn't afforded to most criminals. But then again, most criminals hadn't been able to catch him in a good mood, let alone be able to apprehend him.

"It's not the drug the doggy got. Your mind's still intact, least till I'm done with it." He grabbed Batman by the jaw, but the detective jerked free.

"Antsy Batsy!" Milo joked to the amusement of his audience. "Now, your visit to Mr. Daggett's abode tells me you're not exactly sure of the situation. Well let me tell you, all this couldn't have been possible without your help detective. See when you got in our way at the museum, we had to find a detour. And the grand resort we've arrived at, thanks to you, is SO much better than our original schematics." The nasal voiced man raised a glass to the Batman when he got to the bar.

"Why haven't you used it one me yet?" Batman rasped.

"Who said we planned it that way! See, after the chaos of a while ago, we made a realization. You don't give bat  _shit_ , mind the pun, if anything happens to  _you._ So we figured it'd be better to get to you through the people you care about."

Daggett nodded to the door and two henchmen exited. The detective's mind raced as his muscles ached to reboot.

"Really, it was your girlfriend who gave us the idea, after she up and got herself bit." Milo teased as Catwoman's struggling legs kicked through the door, her arms caught by the henchmen who'd left.

"Ngyah!" she tiredly wriggled and kicked, fruitlessly.

"Now now, Batsy." the chemist leaned in front of the vigilante as if talking to a child. "Does that make you feel guilty?"

"No," he growled. "Angry."

Milo was allowed a split second of shock and fear before the Batman headbutted him and jerked his arms down, knocking his captors off balance before he knocked them out. The rest of the thugs open fired on him and more came running up the stairs still intact. He initially planned to grab the drug lord, but a gut slamming wince from Catwoman redirected him. He fought only with the intention to get to her. When he did, he grabbed her by the waist and jumped out the window as a horde of sirens grew closer.

Detective Blake lead the stampede of S.W.A.T and DEA agents up the building, taking fire from every direction. Captain Gordon stood outside by the vehicles and other medalled, high ranking officers, with a radio on his belt and a bullhorn in his hands. As media vans rolled up, the iconic black Tumbler leaped overhead and landed on the roof on the other side of the road. Gordon was following cameras and eyes when the phone in his back pocket buzzed.

"Usually you're jumping TOWARDS the scene," Gordon reminded the Batman.

"Already did. I got someone infected by Milo's drug. You'll get the antidote on your desk soon enough." Gordon believed him for it, saving himself the headache of wondering how it would get there.

"The lab's in the basement. Don't get bit." Batman warned the Captain and ended the call, ringing Lucius Fox as soon as it ended.

"Fox."

"There's a device in your glove compartment; looks like an Epipen. It'll collect her blood and analyze it. I'll see the analysis on the computer, the antidote should be ready by the time you get back."

"Got it,"

Batman put the Tumbler on self drive and rummaged for the pen. When he had it, he rolled back the collar of Selina's suit, revealing her burning neck.

"You're hot," he noted, trying to find a good point to inject the needle.

Selina coyly smiled, "Now you notice."

Batman chuckled and clicked the pen like instrument into her jugular vein and Catwoman let out a wince. A screen on the Tumbler's control panel lit up, assuring that the pen had did its job. Batman switched the setting back to manual, pressing down harder on the gas pedal as Selina became more drowsy.

"Just hold on!" he begged her and she drunkenly stared at him.

By the time they'd reached the hidden entrance of the Batcave, Selina's head rolled to the side and Bruce screamed her name as the Tumblr jumped through the waterfall.

"Selina!"

 

 

 


	12. Sleepless in Gotham

 

 

  


 

Her blood shot eyes flashed open and she exhaled long and loud as if she'd just woken up from death. Selina woke up on a stiff bed, a blanket draped over her legs. She made herself sit up and looked down her body and shot up a brow.

_Who the hell put these clothes on her?!_

But no more thought on that when she saw the container of water on the side table. Catwoman pounced on the jug and drank the cool liquid without the formality of the glass that was now shattered on the floor. She let out a moan as the water went down her dry as a desert throat.

Selina stood off the bed as she wiped her mouth on the silk sleeve of the pajamas that'd appeared on her overnight. The room was black, despite being well lit from hidden lights. The bed frame was black too, as well as the sheets on it. She heard water outside her enclosed space and went around, staring at the sight.

It was a cave, and very definitely a man cave. The water she heard was the waterfall at the from of the main area. Selina grabbed the rail and and stood on a smooth rock as water slowly waved over it. This was one cat who wasn't afraid of water.

She forced herself away and walked up to the well lit platform. Looking around the cave, she wondered where the lights were placed. At the platform end near her, there was a giant system of screens and computers that you'd see in an evil lair. But this wasn't an evil lair, was it? She tried to reframe her memory, but only got a headache.

Selina didn't dare touch a key on the very intimidating technology monster, and instead chose to walk the marble ramp to the other end, praying to find an exit.  
  
  
  
  
  


Clearly God was hiding in a cave all along, cause she'd never had a prayer answered before. At the end of the platform, an elevator slid open sensing her presence and she quickly stepped in. There weren't any buttons to press, but it seemed the elevator was programmed for only one function.

She scratched the irritating itch on her thigh, and rolled up the leg of the pajamas to see the needle mark. A very  _big_  needle mark on her thigh, with a circle imprinted around it. This MF had injected her with something she recalled to be very painful,  _and_  had changed her clothes. But maybe he'd saved her life too?

She caught a mute design etched into the wall of the elevator where the control panel should have been. It was like those shiny, authenticating seals that you see on branded notebooks or lidded hats. Selina snaked her head around, trying to catch just the right light to see the picture, and then she saw it. The bat emblem. She stood in the middle of the elevator, dazed; so when the doors opened, she jumped.

Selina collected her breath and stepped out of the elevator, into a home office. The room didn't look very playful, but the furniture was beautiful. The majestic dark wood desk stood in front the wall across the open doored terrace, which was guarded by cream cushioned seats standing on either side of the door.

She walked out the room and into a grand, empty hallway. The floor length windows were covered with curtains of the finest cloth, with intricate designs embroidered in. Again the furniture was outstanding; the cushioned benches, the chairs, the carved wood tables decorated with pieces of delicate ceramic pieces that stood beneath top class paintings and portraits. She turned the corner, walking into a private living room; intricately carved double doors to her left, a galley leading to smaller rooms, and a fireplace at the end with a portrait hanging above it, but she didn't pay much attention to the person glaring back at her.

In the center of the room, four plump sofa seats made a circle around an ottoman, and beyond them were rooms. She stepped past the circle of sofas towards the rooms, and head towards the one from which she heard noises. It was a human voice, of struggling and exerting effort. And grunting, lots of grunting. She quickened her space, her mind somehow sensed distress and she burst into the room.

The glistening, shirtless man on the floor pulled up in his sit up exercise, looking at her dumbfounded.

"B-bruce?" she tilted her head quizzically.

Bruce Wayne jumped to his feet, dusting away the imaginary dust on his sweatpants.

"Selina, I-" he stuttered, unsure what to say.

"You don't know how  _bad_  I wanted him to be you!" Selina panted and ran to him, almost knocking him down with the power she'd lunged at him. And she kissed him, digging her nails into his scalp. He closed his eyes, and his nose scrunched up, surprised and questioning, but none the less he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. He clasped his hands at the small of her back and kissed her, returning her fervor. Bruce cupped her face and she pressed her hands in the center of his chest, pushing him to the wall.

Selina pinned him against the wall, running her hands down his thick neck, trailing kisses on his rough jaw. Bruce drew his hands under her silk shirt, scaling her sides, pulling her closer still. She kissed his protruded shoulder bone and he spun her around, pinning  _her_ to the wall, he pinned her hands next to her head. His tongue danced with hers, and she provided the music through her moans. He kissed her chin, the underside of her jaw, all the way down to her jugular notch.

Bruce leaned down, trying to sweep her up bridal style, but Selina quickly wrapped her long legs around his waist.

"Not a damsel in distress, baby" she breathed in his mouth, and he smiled.

Bruce pulled her up, locking her tighter around him, and walked over to his bed. He sat her down on the edge, hovering over her neck as she scooted back, strumming her fingers on the strings of his sweats. He slid a hand under her shirt and pressed her down on to the bed, hesitating with the hem of the silk.

Selina placed a hand on his chest and whispered behind his ear.

"You put them on, you can take them off," she teased and he bought it, needing no further telling as he undid the buttons on her shirt.

Taking them off would definitely be more fun than putting them on.

 


	13. While You Were Sleeping

 

Even the great Batman couldn't control his heart rate as he fell on his back, out of breath. He ran a hand over his disheveled hair, drawing it down his sweat laced face. Next to him, Catwoman stretched her limbs, and picked out pieces of the broken headboard from her hair.

_She'd kissed Bruce Wayne and dreamed of being in bed with the Batman, but she's never imagined the both being the one and the same. And boy was it a ride! She lost count of how many times he'd sent her to cloud 9 and back, and she didn't mind it at all._

Selina rolled onto her back and pulled the covers up under her chin before she cosied up to him, laying her head on his slick chest, her hair sticking. She dropped a kiss between his pecks and Bruce protectively squeezed an arm over her as he buried a kiss on her head.

"Rrr! If I knew pent up feelings exploded like this, I'd've tried to be less forward!"

Bruce chuckled a deep laugh that coursed through her like hearing someone else's heartbeat.

"But if you had, we wouldn't be here." He squeezed her into him again.

"Hmm, I guess it only works if  _one_ of us is moody. Can you  _imagine_  the Batman being coy?" She laughed at the image in her mind and kissed his chest.

"That is  _not_ an image he would like circling around."

"Why? Takes away from the broody and imposing look?"

Bruce only smiled, rubbing his hand up and down her arms.

They stayed in a moment of quiet. She listened his heart beating right under her ear. His pitch tuned ears heard her little puffs of exhale that tickled his chest hair. Her breaths shortened and he knew something was on her mind even before she dug her pointed chin into his sternum to look up at him.

"Do you think it could work out? Between us?" Selina asked, a sad expression over her face.

A string plucked in his heart, but Bruce shook it away and tucked her hair, cupping her face in his hand.

"Would it depend on which  _us_ you're talking about?"

"If we're being honest, I was more attracted to the dark and brooding!"

"So am I!"

They both and laughed and she kissed him before putting her head back on his chest. Bruce kissed her head and reassuringly stroked her back. Even when she fell asleep, he absently drew his hand over her spine, contemplating her question.

There weren't many things the great detective didn't have answers for, but Selina's question had made it on the list.

_Could they work out?_

_Would he let himself into a relationship?_

_If Bruce Wayne was in a relationship, could Batman date Catwoman?_

He had lived both lives, keeping each as different from the other as possible. But now Bruce had feelings for Selina, and Catwoman was attracted to the Batman. He couldn't understand it; had no right solution for it.

So he decided to go do what he  _did_  have control over.

Bruce carefully slid off the bed; being trained by the best ninja league in the world, he managed to not wake Selina up. As he pulled on his sweats, he smiled at her peaceful sleeping face, then walked away broody.  
  
  


Bruce took a shower, sponge bath more like it, since wet hair took time to dry. He dried off quickly with a towel, wrapped around his waist till he worked himself into the kevlar. He did a five minute cardio, despite the... hours of  _cardio_ he had earlier in the evening. The engine echoed in the empty batcave, except for scaring off a few bats, nothing moved.  _Strangely_ , akin to his mind right now. Usually, the Batman had a million things running in his head, things that happened 17 years ago, things that would happen in the next 17 seconds; but right now, he had nothing on his mind.

It wasn't at all calming. To the Batman, an empty mind made him want to scratch his skin off, but there was really nothing that he could do. Nothing he could say. He had no answer.

_Could they work out?_

_Would he let himself into a relationship?_

_If Bruce Wayne was in a relationship, could Batman date Catwoman?_

The tumbler slowly creeped through an empty downtown, even slower as it crossed by Daggett's building. Bruce imagined breaking in through the roof, catching him dancing drunk in a robe that would irk PETA, and he would beat the cruel man senseless. But then he'd have to admit, through act, of course, that he cared about Catwoman. And that could get her in more danger than she could ever walk into herself. The gas pedal hugged the leather floor and the Tumbler flied through downtown, towards the Old Town. The Batmobile parked in an alley, shrouded in its darkness as Batman worked his way into Selina Kyle's apartment.

The room looked like a tornado had passed through; pillows on the ground, lamp shades lay 50 yards from where the bases were, shattered. The bed was in dishevel; the purple sheets were half on half off over the barren bed. Of course it was empty; the owner was sleeping in  _his_ bed, in Wayne Manor. He doubted though if she was the legal owner of the jewels strone across the silk sheets. Batman shook his head as an amused smiled ghosted his lips, and bent over the ground hugging bed, only to be stopped by a ruffle in the sheets. The detective guessed who it was, correctly. He grabbed Isis through the covers, knowing she was still drugged. He got a vial of the antidote from his belt and injected it behind her ears, in the vein that ran through her neck. A loud pressure release of air, and a drowsing screech from the cat, and it was all quiet again. He pulled off the covers and scooped Isis up in one arm, stroking her grey hair as he looked for her basket. As he stood watching her sleep, Batman regained his purpose.

Fox had prepared the antidote in batches, and after curing the cat, his next stop was the precinct. He waited for Detective Blake in an alley across the 13th, watching the small building that was busy crowded with animal control, the DEA, and the night's arrests. A few low key media vans hung about too, hoping to get some scraps thrown their way before everyone else did. Blake was jogging up right after the 2 minutes it took for Batman to observe his surrounding.

The protege kept looking back from whence he came, not too thrilled to be out in the cold night. Gotham winter was merciless, right up there with Chicago. He took the bag of antidote from the Batman quickly and carefully, gratefully running back into the mosh pit of the precinct. Gordon wondered out loud how the bag appeared on his desk, and the Tumbler quietly skipped town. Towards the Asylum to give the doctor a taste of his own medicine.

Sneaking in wasn't a difficult task for the man who'd made sure of increased security at the insane Arkham Asylum. He waited in around the hall as guards passed, clung to the elevator ropes as the vehicle descended to the ward he wanted to see. Milo's cell was empty, and Batman willingly waited in the dark. The prison guards tossed the drug lord into his new room, and the skinny man whined at them as they locked the door behind.

"Nice place," said the darkness and Milo spun around, as fearful as a lost child.

The Batman stepped out of the dark corner, illuminated by the moonlight from the small window. Milo shrunk to the floor as the detective walked closer, appearing taller at each step.

"Antsy, Milo?"

The prisoner lunged at the thick metal door, banging and screaming to no one's ears.

"They won't hear you. Not till I'm done with you."

The sentence was familiar to Milo, and he regretted ever crossing paths with the Batman. No one knew what happened in the cell, only hearing his screams as the Batman left him injected with his own poison.

"Is she worth it?" A female voice stopped the detective as he walked through the empty halls. He turned to the glass wall, watching Ivy pet a Moonlight Primrose.

"Who?" he tested her knowledge.

"There can be only so many reasons you came back for him. He hurt someone you care for."

The Batman stood silent. Ivy smiled and walked around her room, arranging her flowers.

"Our life isn't a luxury. And it doesn't allow us the pleasure of company. The Batman should know that better than anyone."

Nothing.

"This flower is something, isn't it? One whiff of its fragrance and I could forget everything."

 

_Could they work out?_

_Would he let himself into a relationship?_

_If Bruce Wayne was in a relationship, could Batman date Catwoman?_

There would be no relationship to work, if she didn't even know who he was.

His gaze fell on the thick petalled flower in Ivy's room, and for the first time, despite the pain somewhere in another organ, his brain had answers.

So, while Selina was sleeping...


	14. What's Wayne Got To Do With It?

The chill breeze that came in through the open patio sent a stinging cold deep into her bones. The smooth silk wrapping her skin didn't help in keeping warm. She tugged and pulled the blankets up over her head, causing the object on top to go falling off with a screech.

Selina sat up with a snap, as if she hadn't expected to hear that noise. Isis* didn't mind being thrown off; cats always landed on their feet anyhow. Selina's cat jumped back up on the bed, rubbing her head up against her mom. Selina lifted her pet up, holding Isis face to face, tenderly smiling at her.

"Why do I feel like I haven't seen you in days?" she pouted.

 _Maow_ the cat positively replied.

Selina fell back into her pillow, staring at the ceiling. The effects of her dream still danced on her skin, still setting her nerves on fire. She only credit her ecstasy to that euphoria of a dream, wondering on the possibility of being something more. Resignedly, she tossed her head to the side, to glare at the clock that flashed red digital numbers.

10:00

"Mnh. Time for breakfast." Selina kissed her baby's nose and purposely tossed her onto the floor. Isis snaked over her ankles as they both stretched. The cat leaped on the window sill to lick her fur clean, while her mom went to the bathroom to wash up.

"Selina? Selina!" Jen burst into the apartment as Selina began brushing her teeth.

"In the bathroom!" she announced.

" _God_ you clean up fast!" Jen mumbled as she looked around the room, then shook her thoughts away to focus on the matter at hand.  

"Anyway, check out this mail you got."

"<<Read it>>" Selina bubbled through suds.

"You've been commissioned to curate an arts exhibition. The sponsor is highly acquainted with your work and skills, and expects you to be able to acquire the artifacts. Legally, I'm assuming."

Selina snorted.

"It says here you'll be paid...

$250 thousand a piece!?"

Selina spat out all over the mirror.

"Quarter. Million. A piece? Who's the collector?"

Jen made a face in disgust.

"Bruce Wayne."

Selina cocked a brow as she dragged a towel down her face.

"Who the hell's Bruce Wayne?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep a hand hold on the edge of that cliff...
> 
> The story's not over yet!!
> 
> Follow along as the saga continues in: The Batman and Catwoman: Mystery.


End file.
